Starting device for internal-combustion engines.



D. D MILES, 5h.

STARTING DEVICE FOR TNTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

*APPLTCATION FILED JUNE 19. 19M.

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APPLICANON FILED Juni i9. 19:4.

SMRTING DEVICE FOR Paented Nov. 16, 1915 SHEET 2.

5 SHEEY Fuga STARTING D-EVlCE FOR lNTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGIES.

APPLICATIQN, msn JUNE 19. 1914.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

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APPLICATION FILED IIINF my 1914.

Patented Nov. I6, IIN

5 SHEETS-SHEETS` www0/69% @Hoz/nuja TATBJTNG DEVICE FORINTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov, 16., 1915.

Application filed .Tune 19, 191e. Seria! No. 846.18).

ia. have invented certain nipsfovenueuts in Starting Devices 'forinternal-Coinhustion Engines, ot which the tollovxine is aspecih'cation.

rllhis intention relates to an improvement in starting devices forinternal combustion engines.

The primary object. of the present invention is to improve theconstruction and arrangement oi' the. startingl mechanism shown in invcopeiulinf application Serial o. TQK'S, tiled Maj.' it), 1013, allowedApril 16, lQll-` particulai'lv with regard to the. actuating' andcontrolling mechanism for the air distributor.

A further object of the iinention to provide means for opening' the gasinlets of the cilinders to their full extent prior to the suppl ing' otthe gas thereto.

Another ohr et ot the invention is to so construct thev actuating ineansthat the movenicnt of one operating ineinber will consonantlv open the,fijas inlets of all ot the cylinders and suppl)v Anjas to one of thesaine, the sum,` ,'i g of then'as being delayed until the gas inletscomphftclj/- open.

still further ohieet is to improve the construction ol the distributingmechanism wher-elly to 'facilitate the operation of said mechanism andallow for the, niore ready positioning! ot the distributionr mechanismon the vehicle on which the, motor to be .started is mounted,

lu the drawings:

ligfuro l is :i plan \ic\v ot' au engine will: un" improvements appliedthereto: File". L) is a side elevation of the distrilruter with parisshown in section: Fir. 3 a .srtioual vico' thereof' taken on the linothrough tivo o the piston Chanihe Fia'. l is a riev; oi: the distributerplat l: a sido elevation of the distributor look the mvpositc side tothat ot Fie'. 2: l" 5 is a. top plan view olz the same: lfifY a top planview ol' the. dis trihutar i is a longitudinal sectional Mevr lujh; Fig.S is a view willy in ot the angle melts; eus f=l`v the aetuati 1 asectional View echanism illus- -u'ill he understood that -(that is withWhile a four c vlinder motor -is illustrated it by modifying theconstruction ci the apparatus the saine is applicable to motors havingmore than four cylinders.

.ln most of the motors now in use on motor vehicles, each c vlinder isprovided With a priming' openingV out Where the device isattached to ainotor not provided With priming openings each cylinder is tappedwhereby access mayY he had to the interior thereof to receive gastherefrom, supply gas thereto and relieve compression. The cylinders aredesignated il, B, C, and l) and mounted upon the cylinder and incommunication ith 'the interior thereof through the priming' opening` isa valve 11 which -forms the subject matter of in v Serial No. 842.303tiled June 1', 1914. The function ot' this valve is to periodically thefiring of the cylinder A) suppl)vv gas under pressure to an outlet tubel2 which is connected in any suitable inanner with a storage reservoir13, The storage reservoir inavhe mounted upon any convenient portion ofthe mot-or vehicle, preferably on the running board The valve is of suchconstruction whereby hack pressure fronrthe reservoir will close thesaine out not. act to retard the supply to the reservoir except when apredetermined pressure, for instance, 250 pounds has been accumulated inthe reservoir. Vhile the motor is runningy the, required pressure isstored in the reservoir and is maintained after the engine is shut down.

A distributor lil is supported adjacent the motor, the saine lacingillustrated in the drawing as mounted upon a strap 15 secured to theiiralno 1li of the vehicle. This distriliuter 1l operates insubstantially the saine manner as the distributor illustrated in myrio-pending application above mentioned, that is, the same upon theactuation of a suitalde valve supplies gas under pressure to onecylinder and relieves pressure in the cylinder on cylinders next in theorder ot tiringv The distributor consists Ot' a body portion 'li" whichis preferably die cast and which ,is Aformell with the central bore 1Sto rei-ieu; the aeluatinf 'shaft lit., the buro hciui luiicrrasza indiameter :is at il() to au cmruumlate (ne actuating; mounted on theshaft. 1l).

The d' is formell with Yfour radially est-ending chambers 2?, 24 and 25copending application thereof.

passes rnlirelv through the These chambers, it being understood thatfour chambers are used in connection with a four cylinder motor,communicate with the bore :20 at their inner ends and at their outerends with an annular channel or passage 26 formed in the periphery 27 ofthe disk 17.

The face 28 of the disk 17 is provided with four elongated slots Q9, 30,31 and These slots are ot' a length equal to the diameter of theradially extending chambers and the slots open -into said chambersproviding an outlet for the chambers, the function of which will behereinafter described.

The opposite face 33 of the disk is provided with four elongated slots3l, 35, 36 and 37 which also are ot' a length equal to the diameter ofthe radial chambers. The last mentioned slots communicate with thechambers but at a point out of alinement with the slots 2f), 30, 3l and32, that is, the slots formed in the face 33 are' disposed at a pointadjacent thev periphery of the disk 17 whereas the first mentionedseries of slots are disposed nearer to the boss 38 of the disk.

The structure thus far described consti tutes the body portion of thedistributer.

As before stated the periphery of the disk 17 is provided with anannular gas channel 26. A ring or band 39 embraces the periphery of thedisk being secured in position in any suitable manner, it beingunderstood that gas cannot escape from the channel 26 between the diskand said ring. The ring 3f) is formed with a tubular boss or extensionl() which communicates with the channel 9,6 and which is preferablythreaded to receive a plug 4l to which a suitable coupling 42 isconnected. a supply tube 43 which communicates with the storagereservoir in a manner which will be lwrcinafter described. The supply ofgas through the supply tube 43 being valve cfmtrolled whereby the samemay be fed to the channel 26 when it is desired to start the motor. n

vFitted upon the disk 17 is the distributer plate Mits tace. which isopposed to the disk being flat, particular reference being had in thisconnection to Fig. 3 of the drawings. The distributer plate is formed onits face remote from the disk and adjacent its periphery with anenlargement 45 in which is formed four by-pa'sses or passages, A', B',(Y, and D', corresponding to the cylinders A. B. (l and l). The passageA' plate its outlet through the flat tace 47 of the plate com-`niunicating with the slot l37 in thefaee 33 of the disk i7 whereby thepassage A communicates with the chamber 23 of said disk. The passages Band C' extend across the flat iacc 47 of the distributer that is they not vanglel cock This coupling is connected to merely open through theplate as do the passages A and D', their outlets being disposed adjacentthe lower edge of the plate whereby they may communicate respectivelywith the slots 35 and 34 of the disk, it being understood that thepassage D communicates with the slot 37. it will be noted that each ofIthe passages communicate with one of the radial chambers of the disk. Athreaded tube 48 is inserted within each of the passages and con-Anected to each of said threaded tubes is a, coupling 49. There are fourtubes provided which communicate with the four couplings and each ofthese tubes are connecte to an 50 the extension 51 of which projectswithin the priming opening of one of the engine cylinders wherebycommunication is established between each passage way of the distributerplate` and a cylinder of the motor. The plug 52 of the cock is manipu- By this constructionlated to open and close the passage through the sameby means of a link 53 the links of the four cocks being connected by arod 54. 1t will be understood that while the cylinder which receives thevalve ll-is not provided with identically the same form of cock whichisinserted in each of the other cylinders, the passage through the lowerstem of the valve which is inserted in the cylinder is controlled by aplug operated by a link connected to the actuated rod 54. It willtherefore be seen that by manipulating the actuating rod 54 in onedirection .that all of the angle cocks will be opened to permit the freepassage of gas to thevcylinder or of the relieving of the cylinders.v

The distributer plate 44 is secured to the disk 17 by a plurality ofscrews which pass' through the openings tend within threaded openingsformed in the disk. The shaft 19 on which the actuating cam`21 ismounted may he driven in several different ways, 4that is. it may hemounted directly on the timed shaft 56 as shown in the drawing` or uponthe cam shaft, or in fact the cam may be rotated in any suitable mannerit being understood of course, `that the same must rotate in propertimed relation with the engine.

Mounted Within each of the radial cham bers of the disk 17 is a piston:T7-which ol a length less than the distance between the bore 20 and theinner face of the annular member 39 whereby the pistons may be aotuatcdand travel within said cylinders to perform their function which will behereinafter described. Each piston is provided with a portion of adiameter slightly less than the diameter'of the chamber and this portion58 is recessed to accommodate a split resilient piston ring 59, thepiston ring v539 snugly engaging the walls of the chamber whereby gasmay not pass around the piston to the bare 20. The pistons are provided55 in the plate and ex with reduced rounded ends 60 which project Withinthe bore 2O when gas is introduced in the annular passage 26. The pistonis reduced intermediate its ends to form an annular channel ill by meansof Which the connections from the cylinders may be brought intocommunication with the atmosphere to relieve the cylinders through theelongated slots 29, 30, 3l and Upon the introduction of gas from thereservoir to the annular channel formed in the disk will project each ofthe pistons inwardly toward the cam 2l. vThe peripheral edge of the cani2l is adapted to contact with the inner enel or each of the pistons toforce the same outwardly toward the annular ring 39. This peripheral'face however, is of such a contour that while tvvo of the pistons arecompletely extended toward the annular member 39 one other piston may becompietely projected inwardly and the fourth piston projected inwardlysuiiciently far to allow one of the cylinders of the engine tocommunicate with the atmosphere through one of the passages A', B', Cand D', through the the piston and one of the slots 29, 30, 8l and, 32.The piston, which the inrnshing gas has projected inwardly to its fulleX- tent establishes communication between the reservoir and one et' thecylinders, the gas passing behind the projected piston to one of thepassages of the distributer plate Where it is supplied to the cylinder'.Thus the cam at 'all times when the device is in operation is supplyinggas to one cylinder and relieving compression in the cylinder which isnext in the order of tiring. The valveswhich control the angle cock.that Acommunicates with the cylinders and the valve which controls thesupply of gas from the reservoir to the distributor are controlled bythe actuating mechanism shown in Fig.'l

ll). rlhis actuating mechanism consists of a plate (S2 'which ispreferably secured to the dash board of the vehicle. Operating throughthis plate is a plunger (33 which is maintained ext-ended by means of acoiled spring 64', the plunger boing provided with an actuating head (S5for the operators foot. This plunger is received within a barrel (16which projects through the dash boar-dlA the barrel being doublediametered, the coiled spring (il. contacting with the shouldei' (37formed by reducing said bore. The plunger projects through the reducedbore I,and its end portion is bifurcated receiving bctwcen ils bilucations the terminal olf the linli actual f rod il. .h set screw (1Spasses through the oiluicatious ol the plunger and an apcrtur 'arnuxd inthe rod Sil. piu lill passes t uv through the itilungcr and ,vasher 70,the pin prevent'- .trom .f lruwing the plunger A sleeve il l entends thegas pressure` annular channel 6l formed in' through the plate 62 and isthreaded into the barrel 72 of the casting 73. The sleeve 71 supportsthe casting, the barrel 72 of which is provided with an inlet 74 and anoutlet 75. A niedle valve 7G extends through the sleeve il into thebarrel 72 being provided with a conical head 77, the barrel being formedwith a conical seat 78 to receive said valve. The inlet 74 oi the barrelis connected to the tube which connects the cylinder oi" the engine withthe reservoir. rl`he casting 73 is provided With a branch 7l) in whichis arranged a by pass S0 whereby gas from the reservoir may pass throughthe inlet 74 around the valve and through said luy-pass to a valvechamber 8l vwhich is preferably formed integral with the branch 79 ofthe casting 72. In this valve chamber is arranged a plunger 82 whichprojects through the plate 62, its ter- 3' 'minal 83 being disposedslightly beyond said plate and in the path of the head 65 of theplunger' G3 which actuates the angle cocks. The plunger 82 is maintainedwith its end projected through the plate 62 by means of a coiled springwhich bears against a removable cap S5, said cap forming a closure forthe valve chamber 81. The plunger is provided with a head 86, thechamber being cut to provide a seat 87 for said head. rl`he 95 spring Slmaintains the head in contact with said seat whereby the passage of gasfrom the reservoir through the by-pass S0 is checked in the chamber.`When the plunger is reciprocating against the tension of the spring S4in a manner which will be hereinafter described, the head SG is movedout of contact with the valve seat and the gases under pressure passaround the head and to an outlet 88 in the valve casing 8l to which 105is connected the tube 43. The gas passes through the tube 42:5 to theannular chamber ol the distributor and projects the piston of saiddistribuiti-,1 inwardly in the manner heretofore described. Y.

1t will be understood that the pressure in the passage or inlet 74 isequivalent to that in the reservoir and under normal conditions theneedle valve is open. A pressure gage 91 has its receiving stem threadedinto it?) the sleeve 71 whereby the pressure in the reservoir will beplainly indicated by the operator.

lrVith the needle valve open and sullicient. pressure in the storagereservoir, the plun- '1.20 ger 63 is pressed toward the plate (S2, itsmovement from its extended position to a point adjacent tho terminal ofthe plunger S2 boing sullicient to manipulate the rod. 5i lo opcn allotthe angle cocks lo their full 12"." extend and thus establishcommunication between each cylinder and the distributer. The pressure onthe head 65 is continued until the same contacts with the plunger 83moving the same in the valve chamber overlf3@ `seating the pressurethrough the inlet 7a of the sleeve 72 around the valve 77 and throughthe passage 80 to the valve chamber 81. The gases then pass around thehead 86 and through the outlet 88 of the valve chamber 8l to the tube 43which is connected to the distributor. vlllith the pressure stillmaintained on the plunger 68 the gas continues to flow under greatpressure and' thrust the pistons 58 inwardly in contact with the cam. 'lhe cam at the initial intake of gas to the distributer is idle, as isthe motor and one of the pistons willtherefore fall on the low face 92of the cam. With one of the pistons in this position, gas from theannular channel of the disk passes in behind the same the piston beingmoved inwardly sutlicient to uncover the slot formed in the diskadjacent its periphery, the gas passing through said slot to the tubewith which it communicates. It will be understood that this elongatedslot communicates with one of the connections A', B', C or D and thatgas under pressure is thus supplied above the piston in one of thecylinders to `exert pressure thereon to start the engine. Simultaneouswith the applying of gas pressure in one cylinder the cylinder in thenext order of yfiring is relieved through one of the outlets in the face28 of the disk it being understood that when one ot the distributerpistons has been projected inwardly to a peint where it uncovers adclivery slot, another of the pistons will have been moved inwardlysuiiicicnt to bring one of the innermost or exhaust slots intocommunication with the annular channel et the piston and therefore thecylinder which is next in the order of tiring is brought intocommunication with the atmosphere. As the shaft ol the engine is turnedover7 and the cam begins to rotate, the various pistons of thedistributor operating in proper sequence will supply gas under pressureand relieve Athe compression in the various cyll'Vhcn the.

inders until the motor is running.

' motor has been started, pressure on the plunger is relieved and thespring ('14 allowed lo bring the same to its normal position. As lthehead (35 ot the plunger is brought out ot contact. with the plunger 82the valve 8G will close, and thel passage of gas to thc distributer willbe cut oll`.

Particular, attention is called to the construction and operation ofthis controlling mechanism and the result accomplished thereby. ly alsingh` thrust of the actuating pedal the valves in the connectionsbctwccn the cylinders and the distributor are open to their l'ull extentand held in open position, the saine thrust which opens' the valvesconsonantly establishing communication between the reservoir and thedistributer,y the arrangement being such that the action of openingthevalve which admits gas to the distributer'is delayed until all of theintake valves of the cylinders of the motor are completely open andready to receive As before stated the-operation of the distributer issubstantially the saine as thatof the distributer in my 3o-pendingapplication hereinbefore mentioned, but particular attention is directedto the speeilic form of cam whose peripheral face is of such a contourthat the valve pistons of the distributer are not merely momentarilyopen, but their snpplying and compression relieving action is so delayedthat the proper supply of gas is fed to each cylinder in its order offiring and the proper relieving of each cylinder is accomplished. Theconfiguration or" the active face ofthe cam is such that it is spacedfrom the rounded ends of two of the pistons to an extent wherebycomplete relieving and supplying of each cyli der is accomplished inproper sequence. usthe present invention distinguishes clearly from suchdevices in the art as cause a momentary opening and closing of theinletports of the engine and the advantages of the present dcvice overthe prior art in this connection it is thought will be apparent.

I claim:

1. A starting device for internal combustion engines and in combinationwith the engine cylinders thereof. the same comprising a storagereservoir, a valued connect-ion between an engine cylinder and thereservoir whereby thecngine on its firing stroke will cause a portionnof the burnt gases to' pass to the reservoir, a pressure controlleddistributing member receiving the gas from 105 the reservoir` a valvecontrolling the supply of pressure to said distributing member,connections between said distributing member and the cylinders, Vvalvesin said connections, means for opening the valvesiin said connectionsand-subsequently actuating tht` lirst mentioned valve to supply gas tothe distributing member. said distributing member includingindependently operable means l'or cousouantly supplying the pressure to115 one cylinder and relieving the comppession in the cylinder which isnext in the order of tiring'.

2. starting device tor icternal combustion engines and in combinationwith the 120 engine cylinders thereof, the same comprising a storagereservoir` moans-for supplying the burnt gasesfrom one oi' the enginecylinders tov the reservoir under pressure, a distributing member, meanscontrolling lire 125 supply of gas'from the'rcservoir to thedistributcr, connections betwecnlthe distributing;l member and the'engineL cylinders, valves arranged in said connections, means foropening said valves and thereafter op- 130 'racional erating the valvewhich controls the supply of gas to the. distribnter, the distributorincluding independently operable means 'for' supplying gas admittedthereto directly to each or the cylinders in 'their order of tiring, andnieans for establishing' coininunication between each. cylinderindependently of the remaining cylinders and the atmosphere through thedistributing member when the piston in said cylinder is on its strokeprior to its firing stroke.

3. In a starting device for internal combustion engines and incombination, a series of engine cylinders, a storage reservoir, a Valveconnection between one of the cylinders to the reservoir whereby uponthe liring of theeliarffe in the cylinder a portion of the gases arecaused to pass to the reservoir, a connection between the reservoir andthe cylinder for supplying the gases directly to the cylinders above thepistons, combined supply and exhaust valves for each of the cylinderslocated in the connection between the reservoir and the cylindersj saidvalves being controlled by the pressure from said reservoir, valvescontrolling the admission, of gas to the cylinders, a valve controllingthe supply ot' from the reservoir to the connection bet-Ween thereservoir and the cylinders, and a member having an operative connectionwith said valves for consonantly operating the seme whereby the valvesof the cylinders are opened in advance of the valve in the connectionhetween the reservoir and the cylinders.

4. A starting device for internal combustion engines and in combinationwith the engine cylinders thereof, the same comprising a storagereservoir7 means for supplying thev burnt gases from the engine cylinderto said reservoir under pressure, a pressure controlled distributingmember, a connect-ion between the reservoir and the distributing neinber, a valve in said connection, connections between the distributingmember and cach of-ftbevcylinders, valves arranged in each ot saidconnections. an actuating nie1nber having lan operative connection witheach of said valves. the initial movement olf said actuating nii-.inberoperating the valves in tile connections to the cylinders, and acontinued movement of said member opening the valve in the connectionbetween tbe reservoir and the distributor. i

5. A. controlling' merlianism for starters for internal i-,oinbustionengines which inelude a gas storage reservoir, a. connection betweensaid resri'voiig and one of the engine eylindi a :nanna operated valvein said connection. said vrfllv-i having a by-pass whereby ruben il fvaar is ope' id gas from llle reservoir v be flf'indneted past thevalve. a ronduitconnrcled to the by-pass and receiving gas passingtherethrough, means connected in tlie conduit for supply-- vconstitutinga b v-yf ing gas to nach of cylinders, inlet valves for each of thecylinders, valve in said conduit, and nieans having an operativeconection with the cylinder inlet valves for opening theI saine saidmeans when actuated causing the openn et the vali n the conduit, theOpening el the menti-:med valve occurring at'tcr the cylinder valves areopenedE t3. A controlling inecliwsm for starters oil internal combustionengines7 which includes a, gas storage reservoir7 a connection betweensaid reservoir and one of the engine cylinders5 a valve in connectionand conduit communicating with said connection intermediate said valveand the engine cylinder'7 means connetted to said-con duit for supplyinggas to each of the cylinders, a valve arranged in said conduit, inletvalves for the cylinders7 a plunger having inoperative connection withthe cylinder inlet valves, and a member controlling the valve in saidconduit, said member being disposed in the path or" movement of saidplunger whereby upon nieve nent of the plunger on its valve openingstroke the inlet valves of tbe cylinderand the valve of the conduit willbe opened', Athe opening of ksaid inlet valves occurring in advance oi'the opening or" the valve in said conduit.

7. A controlling mechanism for starters of internal combustion engines,which include a gas storage reservoir, a connection between one of theengine cylinders and said reservoir, a manually ope ated valve in saidconnection a conduit leading from said connection from a pointintermediate the valve arranged therein and the cylinder, a valve insaid conduit, the conduit having a connection with each ot the enginecylinders to supply gas thereto, inlet valves the cylinders, and meansfor consonantly opening the inlet valves of the. cylinders and the valvein said conduit.:

A controlling mechanism for starters of internal combustion engineswhich include a gas storage reservoir, a connect-ion between saidcylinder and said reservoir for supplying unimi' p rrssure to saidreservoir, a, valve in said connection, said valve being toi-ined with:n extension having a "zonnet-,tion with the imgine cylinders and I A sfrom the reservoir may be supplied to the cylin-:lers a valvecontrolling the outlet through said ley-pass, valves controlling tbeinlets of the cylinders. and means lor consi nautly operat-` ing tbccyliiulcr valves and the valve ar ranged in ilu: byepass.

Sl. A conlrolliugiuurliauisni ter start rs ot' internal eonibu. yionengines which include a gas stm' 'go reservoir, a connection betweensaid rese voir and one ol the engine cylinders whereby under pressure:from said cylinder will be supplied to the rcser# 10 the continuedmovement of the Voir, a manually operated valve in said conneetion, aconduit receiving gas from the reservoir through said valve, a Valvearranged in said conduit, means connected with the conduit for supplyinggas to each of the engine cylinders, valves controlling the inlet tosaid cylinders, and a member controlling said inlet valves, said memberon its initial movementI opening the inlet valves, member Intestimony-whereof I have signed my l name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

DON DAVID MILES, JR.

lVitnesses:

HARRY A. TOTTEN, D. B. RICHARDS.

